This Inflatable Obstacle Course Should Be On Your Activity Bucket List

This Inflatable Obstacle Course Should Be On Your Activity Bucket List

Looking for a unique activity to get your heart racing? Get to know the Labyrinth Challenge, billed as the world’s longest inflatable obstacle course, which is drawing adults who want to act like kids with 1000 feet of air-filled thrills.

As a mom of two kids aged four and nine, I spend many weekends watching as they joyously frolic in a bouncy house at a birthday party. I confess that I have occasionally suffered from bounce house envy, wishing I could join in the inflatable fun. That’s why I was thrilled to discover my wish granted by Trevor Collins, creator of the Labyrinth Challenge.

Currently on tour in the United Kingdom, the Labyrinth Challenge is the world’s longest inflatable obstacle course, with 1000 feet of pure inflatable thrills and chills geared towards a crowd aged 12 and up. According to Collins, it takes an entire day just to inflate the whole course—which gives you an idea of just how large it is.

Brave participants start by jumping off a 20-foot platform into a crash bag below, and then make their way through an elaborate series of themed interactive zones, like the Lava Zone, Jungle Zone, Toxic Zone, Combat Zone and Ocean Zone. The crazy course includes jump-offs, hurdles, biff n’ bash sections, balance beams, and giant balls. After completing 34 obstacles, you finish the challenge by climbing up and then sliding down an enormous inflatable ship.

For the competitive-minded, you can race for time against friends (or strangers) and earn the title of Labyrinth King or Queen. Alternatively, you can choose to leisurely make your way across the zones, enjoying the variety of activities each has to offer.

The Labyrinth Challenge travels with an entire Village, which includes other inflatable games and attractions like laser tag, food stalls, and a Mini Labyrinth Challenge for kids ages 5-11. The Village caters to the whole family, but if you’d rather compete in an adult-only environment, the Challenge offers time slots for those aged 18 and up only towards the end of each day. It’s a smart idea to purchase tickets in advance, and if you want to go with a large group, the Labyrinth can be reserved for private events.

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Nokia caught up with Labyrinth creator Trevor Collins to learn more about his inflatable masterpiece.

Q: Which part of the Labyrinth is the toughest for people to conquer?

Trevor Collins: The jump off at the start is always the toughest because of its height and the initial fear factor from taking a step into the unknown.

What is the age of the oldest person to complete the challenge?

The oldest challenger we are aware of was 72 years old!

Approximately how long does it take the average person to complete the challenge?

If you complete the course properly then it takes about 30 minutes, but people are free to go at their own speed, and some can take over an hour.

What’s the appropriate footwear for the challenge?

We tell people to do the course in their socks.

Any idea how many calories you can burn doing the challenge?

Not sure exactly, but it’s a physical challenge over a 1,000-foot-long course featuring five zones and more than 30 obstacles, so a heck of a lot of calories burned!

Do you add or change the challenges at all, or is it always the same?

The course is the same in every location of this year’s tour, but we are going to be adding new sections for next year. We have a few top secret designs being worked on as we speak…

What if it rains?

You get wet—which just adds to the fun!

So, if you happen to be a kid living in the body of an adult, and end up in the UK this summer, be sure to seek out this unique play experience. If you do, be sure to wear your Nokia activity tracker, and let us know how many steps and calories burned you log during the challenge.

The rest of us will have to join the folks living vicariously through the Labyrinth Challengers on YouTube, dreaming of taking that first jump.

Jeanne Simpson

Jeanne is an actress, choreographer, and dance teacher in Los Angeles. Some of her favorite acting credits include roles on the PBS kids series Wishbone, AMC’s Mad Men and NBC’s Parks and Recreation. She has also choreographed a wide variety of projects for television and theater. When she’s not running around on a set or stage, Jeanne is at home in LA enjoying time with family.